Ugandan Educators Visit
As a school with a global focus and the motto ‘That I May Serve’, Wenona actively supports and learns from schools around the world. This week we were privileged to host two educators from School for Life in Uganda.
Director of Education Julius Barungi and Director of Community and Welfare Janepher Nansubuga, toured classrooms and met staff and students, in an information exchange about junior and senior school education.
“We have much to learn about how education works in Uganda, particularly for young women”, Principal Dr Briony Scott said.
The visit was facilitated by the Australian charity School for Life Foundation Australia, for which Dr Scott is a Non-Executive Board Director. Year 11 student Bronte has also contributed significantly to School for Life, including visiting their premises in Uganda and sponsoring fundraising efforts.
“We are here to learn but also to express our appreciation for the support that we get from Wenona and other schools in Australia, without which it would not be possible for our students to receive an education,” Mr Barungi said.
In Assembly this week, students and staff gained particular inspiration from the story of Ms Nansubuga, who was orphaned as a child, and experienced first-hand the impact of going without food and attending schools without trained teachers, running water and even doors and windows. Determined to change her future, she worked after school and on weekends to put herself through a private high school, later training as a teacher to improve outcomes for other disadvantaged Ugandan children.
“School for Life caters to 1,000 children in a co-educational secondary school and two primary schools,” she said. “Our dream is to build more schools, one day supporting up to 10,000 students”.
“It is worth remembering that as Wenona students, you have extraordinary privilege in terms of the education you receive,” Dr Scott told the Senior School Assembly. “You also are offered the opportunity to give back and contribute. School for Life Foundation was set up by a young woman who went to Uganda on exchange. Never forget that the small things we do can lead to big outcomes.”